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S. W. MARTIN. GENTERING AND TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR WINDMILL TOWER BRAGES.

No. 591,860. Patented Oct. 19,1897.

3 (L wanton I W, @54 72,2 flttozuu 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL IV. MARTIN, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MAST,

FOOS & COMPANY, OF SAME PIJAOE.

CENTERING AND TIGHTENING DEVICE FOR WINDMILL-TOWER BRACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,860, dated October19, 1897. Application filed A t 28, 1896. Serial No. 604,175. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL IV. MARTIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Spring-field, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Centering and Tightening Devices for \VindmilLTower Braces, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in acentering and tightening device for windmill-tower braces.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which can be appliedto the braces of the modern windmill-tower in the acute or in one angleas distinguished from two opposite angles formed by such braces, so thatwhen said device is forced toward the intersection of the braces it willcause either or both of the braces to so shift that they will be made tofinally cross one another at a point in the center line of the tower,and in doing which the least taut of the braces will shift and becomeitself strained or tightened, equally with the other brace, and theirtension and effects on the tower be equalized.

To this end my invention consists of two plates or disks and aconnecting-bolt adapted to draw them together, combined with theintersecting windmill-tower braces and applied to them in the acute orin one angle formed thereby.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,andon which like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1represents a side elevation of a windmill-tower with my inventionapplied thereto; Fig. 2, a detail enlarged diametrical sectional view ofthe center and tightening device; Fig. 3, an enlarged elevation of suchdevice and two of the braces combined therewith; Fig. 4, a plan View ofone of the plates or disks, and Fig. 5 an edge view or elevation of twobraces and my said device.

The letter A designates one type of modern windmill-tower, made of ironor steel and composed of beams 13, cross-bars O, a platform D of wood,and cross-braces E and F. These braces are flattened at their ends, as

seen at G, and are bolted to the tower by bolts H, which pass throughthe overlapped ends of the braces and through holes in the beamsB.

In manufacturing such towers the braces E and F are intended to bepunched or bored both alike as to each pair, so that the holes should bethe same distance apart; but in their rapid production it frequentlyhappens that there is a variance of one-fourth to-threeeighths of aninch in the distance between the holes in one brace and the distancebetween the holes of the other brace which is to work with it. This isnot noticed or discovered until the tower is being erected at the placeof use.

To bring the holes of the tower-braces one over the other so that thebolt will go through, one brace will be slightly slackened and divertedto one side, so that it will not intersect with the other brace in thecentral line of the tower. Or it sometimes happens that the beams B ofthe tower are sprung in a little to bring the hole in it in line withthe hole in the shorter of the two braces. This springs the tower-beamout of a straight line somewhat. Hence my object is to take up thisslack in the braces, and to make the braces finally intersect in linewith the center line of thetower; and doing this also so acts on thebraces that the slight bending or deflecting of the tower-beam will beovercome and the beam sprung or restored back to its true line. Theseeffects I have accomplished by means of combining with the intersectingor crossing braces, in the acute angle formed by them, my centering andtightening device. This device consists of two plates or disks I and J,each having a raised or extended boss or portion K, and a receding or.lower surface L, and a central opening M for a connectingbolt 0.Thebosses K are each provided with a stud P and a socket Q, so that thestud of one boss will fit into the socket of the other boss, andtherebyv hold the plates or disks in their proper relative positions toform the space between the surface L of one plate or disk and the bossof the other. Such a space is formed on each side of the disks orplates, and in one of these spaces one of the braces fits and in theother of them the other brace I00 fits. This is clearly seen in thedrawings. Now, after the tower has been erected, for the purpose abovestated, I apply my centering and tightening device to a pair ofintersecting braces by placing the same in an acute angle formedthereby, with the braces in the spaces between the surface L and theboss K. The nut R on the bolt is at this time slightly slackened, andthen the foot of the builder or erecter 0f the tower is placed on thedevice and it is forced down (or up if applied to the lower acute angle)as far as it will go. The more slack of the two braces shifts sidewiseuntil it becomes equally taut with the other, and then both yieldequally and bring their point of intersection in line with the center ofthe tower. This equalizing of the strain of the two braces restores alsothe tower beam or beam-s from the deflection, more or less, it or theyhave suffered in springing to accommodate the variance in the distancebetween the holes in the braces. WVhen the device is thus forced to itslimit, the braces refuse to yield to the pressure, the nut R on the bolt0 is screwed up tight, and the plates or disks made to firmly clamp eachof the braces.

Referring again to the bosses K, it will be seen that they form ashoulder K,which slides against the inner edges of the braces.

"While I have shown and described my centering and tightening device incombination with the braces of a windmill-tower, it is obvious thatshould similar braces be used on bridges or other structures the devicewould be applicable.

I have also shown my device as applied to the acute angle formed by thebraces; but it is obvious that it is applicable to one angle asdistinguished from two angles, Whether such angle be acute or not.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the intersecting braces of a windmill-tower, ofa centering and tightening device consisting of a pair of plates ordisks fitted one upon the other in one of the angles and between thebraces and having shoulders which fit against and embrace the braces,and a bolt to tighten and hold the parts together.

2. The combination with a windmill-tower and its intersecting braces,forming an acute angle between them, of a centering and tighteningdevice consisting of a pair of plates or disks each having a bossforming a shoulder and a receding face, and a socket and stud matching asocket and stud of the other, and a bolt to bind the plates against thebraces when the same are fitted in the acute angle.

3. A centering and tightening device, consisting of a pair of plates ordisks each having a receding face and a boss forminga shoulder, thereceding face of one plate or disk being opposite the boss of the otherplate or disk, and each having a central opening, and a bolt fitted insaid opening to bind the parts together.

4;. A centering and tightening device consisting of a pair of plates ordisks, each having a receding face extending partly around it, a. bossoccupying the rest of the surface, astud on the boss and a socket in itand a central hole in the boss, the plates or disks being interlocked bythe studs and sockets, and a bolt in the opening to bind the partstogether.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL WV. MARTIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. ARTHUR, V. ADLER.

